What unexpected hazards can claim children’s lives? Tip over accidents kill at least one child every two weeks, reports the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC adds, from 2000 to 2011, 349 children died climbing on dressers and TV stands. Parents should be most troubled by the following: just about all of those deaths were largely avoidable. Here’s what parents can do:
Purchase — Or Create Your Own — Wall Mounting Kit
Manufacturers offer inexpensive kits to mount televisions, dressers, bookcases, tables, and TV stands to walls, making them just about impossible for them to tip over. Kits typically include brackets, screws, and cable ties. Consumers can choose from a variety of metal zip ties, including flame-resistant stainless steel cable ties, if high temperatures are a concern. CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum strongly recommends anchoring furniture: “We know that low-cost anchoring devices are effective in preventing tip-over incidents. I urge parents to anchor their TVs, furniture, and appliances and protect their children. It takes just a few minutes to do, and it can save lives.”
Even after anchoring televisions and furniture, parents should make certain never to leave toys and other objects likely to grab kids’ attention — like the remote — on top of fixtures children can potentially climb.
Make Sure All Furnishings Are Level
Anchoring furniture to the wall may not be enough. If you live in a home with uneven flooring, install permanent leveling feet onto the bottoms of dressers, television stands, tables, and dressers before securing them onto the wall. Leveling feet can be adjusted to different heights to keep furniture even. Furniture is much less likely to tip over or fall on an even surface. Kids Safe Worldwide recommends installing drawer stops to prevent children from opening drawers. Open drawers may redistribute dressers’ weight, making them much more likely to fall over.
Don’t risk severe injuries — or, in some cases, even the death of your child. Anchor furniture to the wall using brackets, screws, and cable ties, and make sure all furnishings are level and stable using convenient leveling feet. References: www.alliance-express.com